Tigers' continuing barbarism
THE cold-blooded, brutal killing of two
school principals in the North, further underscores the degenerate
criminality of the LTTE.
We roundly and unreservedly condemn these barbaric acts by the LTTE
and warn it that inhuman behaviour of this kind would only further
undermine peace prospects in Sri Lanka.
If the LTTE believes that its life-denying, sadistic and repressive
conduct would have no impact on our chances of reviving the peace
effort, it is sadly mistaken because what the Lankan State is aiming at
is a just peace and not the so-called peace of the graveyard.
Under no circumstances would the State settle for a resolution of the
conflict which would compromise the freedom, dignity and integrity of
the Tamil people.
This, apparently, is what the Tigers desire. Their dictatorial and
coldly cruel conduct indicates that they would prefer to hold the Tamil
people in subjection - bound, gagged and paralysed and tamely succumbing
to the dictates of the LTTE.
The fact that the school principals had to pay with their lives for
opposing the LTTE's child-soldier program and other atrocities and
excesses is ample proof that democratic freedoms are continuing to be
anathema to the LTTE's ears.
What is, apparently, being visualised by the Tigers is a dispensation
where they would be unchallenged despotic rulers but this would not be
conceded to them by the Lankan State which owes it to the communities of
this land to ensure their absolute well being and democratic freedoms.
In other words, peace would not be realised at any price. Rather it
would be peace with dignity and fair play for all.
In the peace which will be negotiated by the Lankan State, all
sections of the people would continue to enjoy their rights and
freedoms. This truth the Tigers would need to recognize and bear in mind
if it is desirous of a negotiated political solution.
The LTTE is, therefore, doing grave harm to the country's peace
prospects by engaging in criminal acts and by conducting itself in ways
which would undermine the Ceasefire Agreement. It is best that the LTTE
bears in mind that terror would not pay.
It does not, however, follow from the foregoing that the State would
roll back its policy of trying to engage the LTTE in jump-starting the
peace effort. Such efforts would continue because the Government would
remain committed to a negotiated settlement. This is not a pacifist
course because a just peace would remain a State imperative.
However, international human rights expert, Ian Martin, and former
SLMM chief Major General Trond Furuhovde are in Sri Lanka at the time of
writing and they would do well to freshly point out to the Tigers the
crucial importance of working towards a peace which would be just and
empowering as far as all the communities of the land are concerned.
Martin's proposed "human right road map" is a sound idea and we urge
him and all those international actors who wish us well, to ensure that
such a human rights regime is scrupulously observed by the Tigers.
They should see the absurdity of the LTTE gunning down perceived
opponents in flagrant violation of the ceasefire and all norms of humane
conduct while feigning to keep the peace.
Clearly, more and sustained pressure should be brought on the LTTE to
make it abide by the ceasefire. |